Letter: Do the right thing with library café

I would like to comment on your Dec. 18 article” SoHo to expand.” I would like to preface this note as “do the right thing.”

After many good years, the Russell family is being thrown out and forced to close down their library coffee shop. Now, it’s hard to convince me and others that there wasn’t some kind of deal put together when the owners of the SoHo shop currently in Monon Square and who owned the center sold the center to the city of Carmel. Now, the Lawheads will be receiving a lot of money for this property, and I’m very happy for them really. It’s the American dream.

However, do they really need to open a coffee shop in the library? The Russells need this shop so at least they can pay off the debt they owe from the startup.

It’s because of people like Mr. Russell, who is a disabled veteran, that all of us have the opportunity to do as well as the Lawheads. If it were me, I would sit down with Mr. Russell and help him with the debt he owes so this veteran doesn’t have to go bankrupt. I’m sure it would be a very, very small fraction of a percent they would have to pay Mr. Russell from the millions they are receiving from the city. Do the right thing.